Awake and Dreaming Part Two
by SilverFang1
Summary: (Sequel to Awake and Dreaming) A door is opened to the past, but the plot is gradually thickening. Same elements as prequel. Please r/r ^_^!


~ AWAKE AND DREAMING (Continued) ~  
  
1 Chapter Seven: Friends in Low Places  
  
"'Meet us at the alley in between Magnolia Apartments and Big Joe's Diner around 11 tonight. We have business to settle with you.'" Alonzo looked up from reading the messy note and raised an eyebrow at his best friend. "I dunno, man-sounds really fishy to me. Like a set-up."  
  
"I can take a few risks," said Munkustrap, shrugging.  
  
"Where'd you find this?" asked Alonzo curiously.  
  
"While you and Tumble were out getting the fish earlier this afternoon, the other toms found this in our usual dozing place."  
  
"And it was addressed to you?" Alonzo inquired.  
  
Munkustrap nodded and showed him the back of the grubby paper.  
  
"It really sounds like business," said Alonzo. "Some greaser out there must be waiting to just beat your sorry little ass."  
  
"I can take care of myself, thank you, Lonz," said Munkustrap.  
  
"It doesn't sound safe. What if something happens to you?"  
  
"You sound just like Jennyanydots!" said Munkustrap indignantly.  
  
"Heaviside forbid!" Alonzo scowled heavily.  
  
"But you're not supposed to worry about me, Lonz! It's not even in your job description to get all tense when someone out there wants my cock!"  
  
"And what the fuck is in my job description?"  
  
Munkustrap sighed exasperatedly.  
  
"Do you at least need backup?" asked Alonzo, sounding hopeful.  
  
Munkustrap grinned. "Always in the mood for a good fight?"  
  
"You bet your tail," said Alonzo confidently.  
  
"I'll handle this myself, alright?" said Munkustrap. "Besides, you've got work to do. If I'm really in trouble, Cori and Tanto would know."  
  
Alonzo thought about it, then finally nodded in agreement.  
  
"Just be careful, OK, buddy?" said Alonzo. "Demeter's gonna be worried sick if her boyfriend ends up as fresh burger meat in the dog pound."  
  
"I'll be fine," insisted Munkustrap. "Nothing to worry about. Seriously."  
  
It was only when he walked into the very dirty alley and got a feeling of incurable uneasiness that Munkustrap regretted not listening to Alonzo. Something, although he didn't exactly know what, was very wrong here. Maybe it was the weird but faint unidentified scent lurking around that his sensitive nose picked up, or maybe it was the feeling he got that someone was behind him, ready to jump him and rip his ass in two. Whatever it was, it made him want to get out of there.  
  
But no, he wasn't going to chicken out now. Like Alonzo said, something was very fishy about a strange note appearing in the toms' dozing place and asking to go alone into an abandoned alley. He wanted to find out why he had been called, and how it concerned him.  
  
The scent-it was getting stronger, and that meant whoever had to settle business on him was very near. He silently raised his nose. The scent was not only weird, but also disgusting. It seemed to be reeking of dead meat or an animal that hadn't been washed in months.  
  
"You looking for us, Mr. Stripes?"  
  
Munkustrap's eyes widened in comfusion and hostility. Only one thought came to his mind at the sound of this cruel voice: Pollicle.  
  
"Who's there?" he yelled into the alley. "What do you want?"  
  
"Only one thing, Stripes," responded a different voice, somewhat crueler and more dangerous than the other one. "Business."  
  
Munkustrap prepared his claws and teeth for some heavy-duty scratching and biting. Out of the shadows came three huge figures: one a dirty white with brown spots, one a sandy color with fur caked in mud, and the last one, the biggest and most brutal-looking, large and all-black. They all looked down at Munkustrap with the cockiest of smirks.  
  
"Well, well, well, boys," said the black dog. "Here he is."  
  
"Munkustrap," chipped in the golden one. "The star of the night."  
  
"And my shit from way out," said the white one. "When we're through with you, buddy boy, you'll look so bad your prick will stick to your-  
  
"Shut up, Carlos," said the golden one, annoyed.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," said the black one smoothly. "Been a bit rude, have we? We forgot to introduce ourselves." He bowed his head in mock politeness. "My name is Seifer, by the way. And these are my associates-( He jerked his head to his right.  
  
"Lance-" The golden dog nodded curtly at Munkustrap.  
  
"-And Carlos." Carlos didn't seem to be paying much attention, so Lance gave him a kick in the ribs, and he grinned idiotically at Munkustrap.  
  
"Pleased to meet you," said Munkustrap, clenching his teeth.  
  
"I hope," said Seifer. "Now, on to our business."  
  
"We have a few little details to ask from you," said Lance.  
  
"Take us to your leader!" barked Carlos.  
  
"Carlos, you ought to shut the fuck up, you know!"  
  
"And what'll you do to me if I don't, huh?"  
  
"I'll stuff Stripes up your hole, Carlos."  
  
"Oooh. Harsh, man." Both Munkustrap and Carlos winced.  
  
"Now, we're giving you three chances, Stripes," said Seifer. "You take us to the junkyard right now, and you'll just end up with a beating you won't forget, lucky for you." He grinned evilly.  
  
"Or you could say no, and we'll kill you right here and leave your body in the junkyard to decompose in front of your guys," said Lance.  
  
"OK, Stripes," said Carlos in an actually serious voice. "Numero Uno."  
  
"Choice?" asked Lance pleasantly.  
  
"I don't feel like taking you today," said Munkustrap.  
  
"Chance Number Two," said Carlos.  
  
"I got to go do my own business," said Munkustrap, trying to buy time.  
  
"Ooohh, don't do it in front of us. Choice?"  
  
"Nah, not when I got an ass to empty in your face. Basically, NO."  
  
"OK, Stripes. Whatever you say. Last chance for you to worm out."  
  
"Your choice, then?" said Carlos, imitating Seifer's smooth voice.  
  
"Uhm, lemme think..." Munkustrap pretended to look thoughtful. "NO."  
  
"There goes your last chance, buddy!" said Lance smugly.  
  
"Wave goodbye to it before we beat your ass in, Stripes," said Carlos.  
  
Munkustrap nodded and hissed, baring his razor-sharp fangs and claws. All four got ready for a bloody battle, and before Munkustrap realized it, the three thug dogs had jumped upon him.  
  
As fast as the dogs had tried to take him down, Munkustrap soon took the heat, biting and clawing as hard as he could. He was doing a pretty good job; Lance's ear was torn and bleeding as a result from Munkustrap's ruthless biting, and Carlos was soon covered in blood, cuts and bruises, dirtying his already filthy fur even more. But Munkustrap wasn't having an easy time either. Three against one wasn't a fair fight, and he was starting to get tired, as well as receiving fierce tackles and bites and blood seeping through his silvery fur. He had been trying to reach Seifer, but the dog leader had moved to the corner, deciding only to watch the battle, and unharmed as Lance and Carlos attempted to tear him apart. He thought faintly of how he foolishly turned Alonzo's backup away, and how he wasn't going to last much longer...  
  
But a voice suddenly pierced through the alley. Another stranger's voice, but this time it sounded high-pitched and cocky, like a queen's.  
  
"Hey! Hey, you! Yeah, you three ugly assheads down in the alley!"  
  
All four stopped whatever they were doing to look up at the fire escape ladder. It was a queen all right, a white one with fur outlined in silver.  
  
"You big fat bastards leave the Tiger alone, you hear me?"  
  
"Oh, it's a pretty little girly kitty," said Carlos arrogantly.  
  
"What're you going to go, Queenie?" said Lance amusedly. "Kill us?"  
  
"You don't leave Tiger Stripes here alone, and I'll consider it!"  
  
"Ooohh, we're so scared," said Seifer, laughing. "We're shaking in our asses, we are! What's the worst that you can do to us?"  
  
"So you greaser hounds really wanna know?" asked the queen.  
  
"Yeah, show us your best stuff, Queenie," said Carlos.  
  
"But remember, we got our minds set on killing Stripes," said Lance.  
  
The silver-white queen shrugged. "OK. Just because you asked for it."  
  
With that said, the queen jumped right down into the alleyway, showing both fang and claw to the enemy dogs. Carlos, feeling a little too hyper and full of himself, expecting nothing great from a queen, lunged at her first, butted head aiming to her stomach, ready to ram her down and slam her body into a trash can that was behind her.  
  
"THWACK!" A sickening sound was heard as Carlos smashed into the metal headfirst, and the queen did much to help by kicking his ass in and making him go further into the deformed trash bin.  
  
"You think you're so good, huh?" said Lance, raising his hackles and growling in an annoyed but super-tough way. "You take this, then!"  
  
Lance gave a terrific leap and flew through the air for a split second, enough to aim for the queen, open his huge jaws and go straight for her throat, ready to rip it open.  
  
To his surprise, the queen did nothing to fight back but only jumped to the left, careful to avoid his jaws and spoil his aim. Angered, Lance tore after her with his paws moving back and forth so fast you could hardly see them, but the queen was equally fast and was able to thwart his attempts to crush her down with his claw, although narrowly.  
  
One second the queen was right in front of him, the next, he couldn't see her anywhere. With lightning stealth, the queen had been able to leap on his back for a sneak attack without him noticing, but Lance could smell her above him, and as fast as he could, body-slammed her to the ground with a hard crunch to the cement. The queen stood up again as soon as Lance picked himself up, but it appeared that she had been hurt by the fall, though only slightly.  
  
But now Munkustrap was the one who felt like fighting. He charged at Lance, and although it did nothing to knock him over, his head had hit a very tender spot in Lance's jaw, enough to give him stars. Munkustrap then took the moment to sink his teeth into Lance's leg, startling him and making him yelp in pain. He was also quick enough to give him a hard claw to the face. This time, a fully conscious Lance stepped away, agitated and now very determined to send Munkustrap down.  
  
He lunged at Munkustrap again, and this time succeeded to pin him to the floor. He raised his paw and was about to stun Munkustrap before the final kill-but suddenly, he froze. His eyes and mouth just stayed open, and after staying like that for a few silent seconds, he keeled over and stayed on the alley floor, unconscious.  
  
As for the thug leader, Seifer, he was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Munkustrap looked behind Lance's body, where the queen looked awfully absorbed in cleaning her claws and pulling bloody hairs out of her tail. When Munkustrap looked at her, she only shrugged at him.  
  
"Is he dead?" he asked her, glancing at the limp body.  
  
"Nah, he's just stunned. You gotta know how to do it the right way."  
  
"What did you do, anyway?" he inquired curiously.  
  
"I sank my claws into his nape," she said. "If you do it in exactly the right spot, your enemy dies. I just stunned him for now."  
  
Munkustrap nodded, then sat up and licked the blood off his wounds.  
  
"You're a pretty good fighter, Tiger," said the queen. "Nice moves."  
  
"You, too," Munkustrap replied. "Where'd you learn how to stun?"  
  
The queen shrugged. "So what's your name, anyway?"  
  
"What, not too comfortable with calling me 'Tiger'?" he said, grinning.  
  
"How about you? You wanna be called around like a stud tom?"  
  
This gave Munkustrap quite a few thoughts of The Rum Tum Tugger.  
  
"Nah," he said. "My name's Munkustrap. How 'bout you?"  
  
"Silvermist, buddy," she said. "But just 'Mist,' for short."  
  
Munkustrap grinned. "Well, nice meeting you."  
  
"And you-Tiger," she said. "See ya 'round, buddy."  
  
"And you," said Munkustrap, watching as Mist jumped back to the fire escape ladder where he had first seen her.  
  
"You ever need anything, Tiger-I mean, Munkustrap," she added apologetically. "You know which alley to look into now."  
  
With a flick of her long silvery-white tail, Silvermist was gone. Munkustrap smiled. Boy, did he have a lot to tell Alonzo when he got back to the junkyard. He stayed for a few minutes to lick the blood off his profusely bleeding cuts and clean his fur before dashing out of the alley, and two minutes later, was completely out of sight.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Aye! Mist! Get your furry little white ass down 'ere!"  
  
Right on cue, the silvery-white cat landed gracefully beside the cockney cat twins, grinning sheepishly and doing her best to hide her broken leg.  
  
"Whe've you been, eh?" asked Mungojerrie.  
  
"We though' you'd never show up at Victoria Grove," added Rumpelteazer, checking her brand-new stolen gold watch. "You're an hour late! Wha've you been doing at this time o' night?"  
  
"Oh-well, I was just-tending to some things," said Mist quickly.  
  
The twins immediately noticed her limp front leg.  
  
"Wha' 'appened to your leg?" they chorused concernedly.  
  
"Uh...I fell off the escape ladder and didn't see where I was going."  
  
The twins glanced quickly at each other, then to Mist.  
  
"Tha' looks like a worse job than a fall," remarked Rumpelteazer.  
  
"Yeah...like some big thug body-slammed you," added Mungojerrie.  
  
Mist winced. They'd gotten that close to what really happened.  
  
"I'm OK," she insisted. "No, really, I'm fine."  
  
That didn't erase the suspicious looks on the twins' faces, but they decided to leave Mist's matters to herself.  
  
"Did you make the decision yet?" they said together.  
  
"Yeah," said Mist, grinning once again. "OK, I'm in."  
  
The twins' faces brightened considerably.  
  
"Ah, well, still a nice nigh', you know," Mungojerrie said to the queens.  
  
"You thinkin' wha' I'm thinkin', you two?" said Rumpelteazer.  
  
"You bet!" said Mist excitedly. "Gangsters' night out!"  
  
All three cats whooped with joy.  
  
"Partners in crime?" asked Mungojerrie mischievously.  
  
"You got it!" Mist grabbed Jerrie's head with her uninjured arm.  
  
"Always will be," said Rumpelteazer happily.  
  
The moonlight still shining bright, the trio got prepared to sneak into a posh house near Victoria Grove, cockney accents and greaser alley cat trash talk breaking the nocturnal silence.  
  
2 Chapter Eight: Face Behind The Mask  
  
"What happened to you? Why's your fur all covered in blood?"  
  
Munkustrap looked up from washing off to see Demeter peering concernedly at his wounds from yesterday night.  
  
"Ah, it's nothing. I just got into something yesterday."  
  
"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" asked Demeter. "Those don't look too good." She pointed to the bite marks on his shoulder and leg. Munkustrap stopped grooming himself and smiled reassuringly at her.  
  
"I'll be OK. Just was a bit stupid, that's all."  
  
"You got that right," said a tom's voice. Alonzo came walking up to the Camaro and slapped a paw on Munkustrap's shoulder, making him wince.  
  
"I told you that you should have called me for backup."  
  
"C'mon, Lonz, how the hell was I supposed to know that there were three greaser Pollicles after my ass?" whined Munkustrap.  
  
"After a note like that, it was obvious," said Alonzo.  
  
"They just wanted to kill me," said Munkustrap disdainfully.  
  
"But why the fuck would they want to do that?" said Alonzo. "We don't know any greasers who're after you. Actually, no one except Macavity."  
  
"That's what's so weird about it, dumb-ass."  
  
Alonzo's eyes suddenly lit up.  
  
"I have an idea," he told Munkustrap. "Can I talk to you in private?"  
  
"I don't mind," said Demeter, cutting off Munkustrap's inquiry. "Go ahead. I'll just take a walk around the 'yard first."  
  
Munkustrap nodded and Alonzo shrugged, and both toms headed for an isolated spot in the junkyard to discuss something. Demeter sat up and walked toward the abandoned automobile parts cemetery.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Yo, what if Macavity was the one who sent those greasers on you?"  
  
"Macavity?" Munkustrap looked dumbfounded. "I don't remember him going on a catnip night with three greaser Pollicles."  
  
"It's possible," said Alonzo firmly. "All four want you dead."  
  
"But all four teaming up together, that's impossible. Macavity's the one who makes a Pollicle shut up by fighting with him on a 7-11 milk robbery, and the rest of the time, Pekes and Pollicles actually go as far as to gang up just to take a whip at his furry little ass."  
  
"I told you, tom, it's possible," Alonzo repeated. "Have you heard the rumors Cassandra's found out about over the previous year?"  
  
"No, what?" asked Munkustrap curiously.  
  
Alonzo suddenly looked very serious. "She told us that years ago, there was a feud between Tugger's family and yours because your dad and his older son wanted to join with the Pollicles so their necks wouldn't be ripped by dog teeth and his family objected to it."  
  
Alonzo remained silent for a while, then bravely took a deep breath.  
  
"Now, I want you to tell me the truth, Munk. Is Macavity your bro?"  
  
Munkustrap stared stonily at the ground and didn't respond.  
  
"It matches," said Alonzo. "Because after your dad mysteriously died, his older son went off to join with the most evil Pollicle leader at that time. Now, tell me, do you think that Macavity's your brother?"  
  
The reply came out as a very soft whisper. "Yes. Yes, I think he is."  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Demeter sighed. It had already been three days since she and Munkustrap had admitted their secret feelings to each other, but for some strange reason she didn't know, that didn't stop her from acting shy and awkward toward him, unless she really felt like talking.  
  
She also felt quite embarrassed about what had happened the other night, when she walked in on Munkustrap again. The only thing that didn't stop her from making a complete fool of herself was a fever, which made her tired and confused and eventually won over her mind for that night. Yeah, Munkustrap also confessed his own nightmares and concerns about the fire that had happened long ago, but the fact that she came in, sobbed into his shoulder and fell asleep in his arms was absolutely ridiculous. It sounded like the sort of mushy shit straight from a soap opera some Jellicle's owner would have liked to watch.  
  
Demeter suddenly froze in her place, and carefully raised her nose. A weird scent was drifting around, although it seemed a little far away. Her jade- green eyes immediately flew across her surroundings. Something wasn't right here. It was as if someone, or something, was lurking around the piles of rusty old metal scraps, watching her every move and ready to make its own.  
  
"Hello…?" she called out nervously. "Is anyone there?"  
  
She heard nothing but silence, giving her bones unpleasant chills, but she figured it was only her imagination, and let out her breath, relieved.  
  
But someone suddenly grabbed her very roughly. Her eyes widened in fear and she tried to struggle, but in vain. Desperate, she screamed, but a paw was clamped firmly to her mouth, shutting her up.  
  
"Don't try anything," said the intruder. "It won't help for jack."  
  
Demeter didn't listen, but sank her sharp teeth into the intruder's paw, making him yelp in pain and back away. She instinctively turned around and saw a huge dog, ugly and black, glaring at her with anger.  
  
"You're a feisty little queen, aren't you?" snarled Seifer.  
  
"You get away from me, you dirty bastard," spat Demeter, brandishing her claws. "I'm not afraid of you!"  
  
"Oh, really?" Seifer sneered. "Don't think I can't tell, queen."  
  
"Go away," she hissed bravely. "Before I get you ripped up!"  
  
"I bet you mean that vice-versa, if you don't come with me."  
  
Demeter plucked up her courage, then struck Seifer on the face. Blood gushed out of the claw marks, but he was still smiling cruelly.  
  
"Is that the best you can do?" he said smoothly. "Kittens do better."  
  
He then proceeded to grab her again, and this time, his grip was firm, and no matter how Demeter struggled, she couldn't get out.  
  
"Now, either come along or you know what happens. I'm taking you to a friend of mine, so you better be a nice little queen and behave."  
  
Demeter got even angrier and tried to hit his ribs, but failed.  
  
She knew she was doomed. It was just like Munkustrap last night; now that they couldn't get him, they were going to get her instead. She figured that a small ounce of luck got Munkustrap out of that alley, considering how serious his wounds were when he came back. As if the same luck would come to her.  
  
But very surprisingly, her question was answered.  
  
"Yo! Seifer! Bloody paws off her or you'll get fucked up!"  
  
Demeter looked up. From a scrap heap jumped a very handsome ginger tom she didn't know, glaring fiercely at Seifer, who gladly returned it.  
  
"You wish," sneered Seifer. The tom came closer.  
  
"You heard me, fish," he spat. "Paws off!"  
  
To emphasize, he roughly pushed one of Seifer's paws off Demeter. She looked on curiously. But Seifer just made a face and replaced it.  
  
"You think you're so big, huh?" he said.  
  
"Like your brain is any bigger," said the tom.  
  
"What're you gonna do, smart mouth? Jack on me?"  
  
"Your language is pretty gay," said the tom.  
  
"Yeah? You think so, pretty tom?"  
  
"What do you mean, think so? I know so, Seifer."  
  
He came very close and actually clawed Seifer's snout, like Demeter had done previously, but harder. Seifer winced in pain.  
  
"Hey, cat, that hurt," said Seifer.  
  
"Told you he was gay," said the tom to Demeter, winking.  
  
"I am NOT gay!" snarled Seifer angrily.  
  
"Yeah, you and all the other Platos in the world," said the tom.  
  
Demeter stared at him in surprise. How could he know about Plato?  
  
"If you're not gay, why don't you drop the queen and fight me?"  
  
"OK!" Seifer shoved Demeter away none too gently and faced the tom. "Give me your best shot, Napoleon." He bared his own sharp teeth, and lunged for the tom, but he easily ducked and pushed him aside. This went on for several minutes, Demeter watching every scene, complete with biting, scratching and very colorful lingo. Hell, the only things she needed while she watched Seifer and the tom get it over with in the cemetery were a tuna dog, a milk hat and a little team flag.  
  
At last, the skilful tom managed to tire Seifer out, and started to attack the dog, bravely scratching and biting. After a few minutes of the ginger tom's and Seifer's battling, the Pollicle began to give way. He finally slunk out of the auto cemetery, mumbling cuss words.  
  
"I'll be seeing you around, pretty tom," he snarled behind his back.  
  
"Aw, you go jack some fish," shouted the tom.  
  
But Seifer suddenly turned around, and his evil eyes landed on Demeter. He smiled sinisterly. "And you…queen."  
  
He then went back to going out of the abandoned scrap heap.  
  
The tom spent a few seconds standing hostilely in front of Demeter and glaring fiercely at where Seifer had left, then his hard expression softened and he turned to Demeter, a tired sort of grin on his handsome face. Demeter was immediately reminded of the smile Munkustrap gave her to show that he really cared about her. But there was something oddly familiar about this certain tom…  
  
"Hey, are you OK?" he asked her concernedly.  
  
Demeter nodded. He grinned again and sat down on the scrap heap. She didn't know what else to do, so she sat down, too.  
  
"Sorry…I've met with Seifer quite a few times. He's a dick."  
  
"Thanks for helping me out," said Demeter quietly.  
  
But it was the tom who looked more grateful. "Yeah, no problem."  
  
The two remained silent for a while, then the tom stood up.  
  
"I guess we really don't have much to talk about," he muttered uncertainly. "If that's it, we ought to be going."  
  
He turned his back to her, leapt off the small metal hill, and was about to walk away when Demeter suddenly blurted out, "W-wait…!"  
  
The tom turned around, still smiling cheerfully at her. "Yeah?"  
  
"Uhm… well—it's just that-" Demeter stuttered. "You-you never told me your name." She felt ashamed right after she had said it, because the expression on the tom's face quickly changed from friendly to unsure.  
  
"I already know that your name's Demeter," he said very quietly.  
  
Although she was very surprised, Demeter continued on.  
  
"You're right. That is my name. But you never gave me yours."  
  
Both were silent for a while, but the tom's voice came out in a soft whisper. "If I told you, we'd never be able to see each other again."  
  
Demeter's heart grew very faint at her first guess, but she hoped it wasn't correct. "Why? Just tell me who you are."  
  
His voice was so quiet that Demeter could barely hear it, but once she did, her heart sank in fear, hatred and shock. "Macavity."  
  
Demeter could hardly breathe. This tom… no wonder there was something so familiar about him! But he looked so different…the wild ginger fur that had sprouted from all directions on his body was cut neatly, making him look very handsome. And his attitude…he had just saved her from a menacing thug dog, and here he was, acting like he was some sweet, caring tom who knew all about her—just like Munkustrap! But it wasn't possible—Macavity was the one who saved her and just talked to her like she was a best friend or something!  
  
"Macavity…" she gasped. "I…I don't know what to say!"  
  
Macavity's face looked worn out, and to Demeter's surprise, sad and kind of lonely. He went back to walking away. "Then I beg you, say nothing. I think it's best for both of us if we part ways."  
  
He looked at her one more time, a depressed kind of stare, and it pierced her heart.  
  
She was torn between deciding whether trying to jump him, calling Munkustrap to help or, strangely, call out and say "If you're sorry, maybe we can forgive each other for the past." But she didn't. She didn't do any of these. She only watched Macavity walk away out of the gloomy cemetery. It had started to rain, and she didn't feel like catching another stupid fever, so all she could do was walk away too.  
  
Strange, why was she feeling so odd right now?  
  
3 Chapter Nine: The First Arrival  
  
"Check 'ese, ou', will ya?" said Mungojerrie happily.  
  
"Eighteen carats!" cried Rumpelteazer, showing them a diamond ring.  
  
"Did you ge' anythin'?" both twins asked Silvermist curiously.  
  
Silvermist grinned embarrassedly and opened her sack. Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer gaped at the huge stolen pile of—catnip.  
  
"Ca'nip?" they said incredulously. Mist grinned again.  
  
"I couldn't resist," she said laughingly. "I nabbed this from the creaky old fortuneteller's herb garden down the street, you know, Coricopat's and Tantomile's mistress. Dunno why she grows these, though…"  
  
"You're goin' to chew tha' all by you'self?" they asked hopefully.  
  
"Hell no, I can't finish all of this. Sure, you guys can have some," she added, reading their hungry looks, "But not right now."  
  
"Tha's right, we 'ave to introduce you to all the others."  
  
Mist looked doubtful. "Will they really accept me?"  
  
"If they really accept rogues like us, it's possible," said Mungojerrie.  
  
"Whatever you say, dude," said Mist casually.  
  
"Wha's the meanin' of tha' word, 'dude'?" asked Rumpelteazer.  
  
"Oh, that. I just picked that up from my old master. He was a sixteen-year- old rock music junkie, the son of an American immigrant. He used slang like that, and plenty more trash talk where that came from."  
  
"Your old master used to listen 'o rock music?" the twins asked.  
  
"Well, yeah," said Mist, shrugging. "Tyler loved me a lot. He used to play the guitar to accompany my favorite songs so I could go to sleep."  
  
Mist was briefly filled with happy memories of her old master, Tyler Martins, who had rescued her off the alley when she was but a tiny kitten. Tyler had named her Azure, because of her misty aqua-blue eyes, and had grown very fond of her until he lost her. That wrote another chapter of her history: how she had met up with the twins.  
  
"You're lucky 'twas rock music," moaned Mungojerrie.  
  
"Yeah, our owner used 'o play this kiss-ass opera music. Hur' ou' ears, tha' one did. Worse, the Peke who used 'o live with us sang along."  
  
Mist shrugged again, and followed them to the junkyard, where faint rays of sunlight were creeping in. They decided to stash their gold and jewelry (and in Mist's case, catnip) in a small pipe at the entrance.  
  
The first thing Mist took notice of, though, was a handsome black-and-brown tom with something like a lion's mane around his neck and an old yellow scarf tied around his knee, lying lazily on an orange car. He looked kind of familiar, but she didn't know why…  
  
"Yo! Jerrie, Teazer! Who's that silver-white queen with you?"  
  
A black-and-white spotted tom ran over to greet the twins, but he did notice her and gave her a small wave of his paw, which she returned.  
  
"Ah, this is Silvermist," said the twins together. "We were wondering if she could come join the tribe."  
  
"Yeah, well, before we do that, you gotta go to Old D's place and ask permission if it's OK. Call Munku, and go with him. His house is somewhere between West Avenue and Mulberry Green."  
  
The twins nodded, and set off to find Munkustrap.  
  
"In the meantime," he said to Mist, "I think you would want to take a small tour of the junkyard. Most of the cats are supposed to be awake by now. Oh, and by the way, my name's Alonzo."  
  
"Nice to meet you," said Mist. The twins were right, after all. This Alonzo dude seemed really nice. How bad could the others be?  
  
"OK, so who do you want to say hello to first? The younger toms are in their dozing part at the back, younger queens are at their hangout in the middle, and the male and female kittens usually just go about everywhere together in their proper groups. Oh yeah, and the elders are at the front part of the junkyard."  
  
"Elders, I guess," said Mist, shrugging.  
  
Alonzo led the way to the elders' talking spot, possibly the cleanest part in the area, had it not been in a junkyard. A fuzzy-coated tom was the first to greet Alonzo and Mist from the entrance.  
  
"Hallo there, sonny, and who's the nice queen with you?"  
  
"Mist, this is Asparagus. Asparagus, Silvermist."  
  
"Beautiful name, my dearest," said Asparagus, shaking her paw.  
  
"Thank you, sir," said Mist politely, though she wasn't used to this sort of etiquette thing. When the words got out, they sounded, well, weird.  
  
"And these are Jennyanydots and Jellylorum. Madams, Silvermist."  
  
"Our pleasure, dear," echoed the two older queens.  
  
Mist felt uneasy. The two queens reminded her very much of a mother, which she could not remember having…  
  
"Male kittens next," announced Alonzo. Mist nodded and followed him to the left side of the junkyard, facing the fence. There they found a white and gray kitten with stripes and a ball of dirty blue cloth with white patches. It stuck out its tongue and made gross noises.  
  
"Mist, this is Tumblebrutus. Tumble, our new tribe buddy, Silvermist."  
  
"Hiya," said Tumblebrutus, swishing his tail carelessly.  
  
"And if I'm not mistaken, Venom here is Pouncival."  
  
The bundle removed its head to reveal another gray and white kitten.  
  
"How'd you know that I was Venom?" he asked Alonzo curiously.  
  
"Easy. I read Spider-Man comics too, you know."  
  
"Hi," said Pouncival. "You're Mist, right? I'm Pouncival."  
  
Without broader topics to talk about, the two decided to head for the middle of the junkyard, the queens' place, while Tumblebrutus and Pouncival continued their play.  
  
"Oh, hello, Plato." Alonzo nodded to the brown and white tom.  
  
"Hi, Lonz. My, looking pretty hot today, ain't you?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," replied Alonzo uncomfortably. "Plato, this is hopefully our new tribe member, Silvermist. Mist, this is Plato--he hangs…uh…all around the junkyard." Plato nodded, in a rather strange way.  
  
"Nice to meet you," said Plato neutrally. Mist raised her eyebrow.  
  
As Plato left for they-didn't-know-where, Alonzo leaned closer to Mist to whisper into her ear. "I forgot to tell you about Plato. He's, er, a little bit-how'd you say this-( He shifted uncomfortably. "Effeminate."  
  
On their way to the middle, they found four female kittens wandering around, doing nothing after escaping from Jennyanydots and Jellylorum.  
  
"Kittens, this is our new buddy, Silvermist. Mist, say hi to Etcetera, Electra, Victoria, and Jemima." He pointed first to a white striped kitten, another with a grid-like coat, a pure white one, and the last one black and white with a red head.  
  
"Hi, everyone," said Mist. At least she was getting used to this.  
  
"Hi," chorused the kittens.  
  
"Ooohhh, Alonzo, has Mist met Tugger yet?" asked Electra.  
  
"We were about to get to that," said Alonzo.  
  
"You'll like him for sure," said Jemima in a friendly voice.  
  
"I like Misto, but I can say that Tugger's pretty hot," said Victoria.  
  
"Rum Tum Tugger!" squealed Etcetera loudly.  
  
"Mind you, he's a big flirt," said Electra.  
  
"He switches queens every now and then," said Jemima.  
  
"He's on-and-off with Bombalurina right now," added Victoria.  
  
"Rum Tum Tugger!" squealed Etcetera loudly.  
  
Alonzo nudged Mist. "OK, let's go meet the queens, shall we?"  
  
Mist caught notice of a fiery red queen sitting on a large milk crate next to two chocolate-brown cats, chattering carelessly. The red queen grinned at her, and sensing friendliness, she smiled back.  
  
"Mist, Bombalurina. Bomby, this is Silvermist."  
  
"Nice to meet you, honey," said Bombalurina.  
  
"This is Exotica…and Cassandra." He pointed at the two chocolate brown cats, and gave a special wink to one of them. Mist hid a smile.  
  
"Where's Demeter?" he asked the queens.  
  
"I dunno," said Bombalurina, shrugging. "I only saw her this morning when she went off to talk to you and Munku."  
  
"That reminds me…Mist, our last stop. The toms."  
  
Something caught Mist's eye again. This time, she was sure that it was the cat that she had seen this morning laid out on the car. Sure enough, it was the same tom, the one with the mane and yellow leopard spots, and this time he was looking straight at the two of them.  
  
"Hey, Lonz, who's the queen?" he said to Alonzo.  
  
"Hopefully a new tribe member," said Alonzo, a little coldly, Mist noticed. "Silvermist. Mist, this is The Rum Tum Tugger."  
  
"One and only," said the tom to her.  
  
Somehow the two of them felt something familiar about each other.  
  
"So, sweetie, you wanna go out and celebrate your first night with me?"  
  
"Yo, dude, take it easy," said Mist. "I may be single, yeah, but that don't mean we gotta take it fast." Besides, she felt a kind of hostility towards this tom, like she knew she wouldn't like him.  
  
"When you reconsider, Sugar," he said, giving her a sexy wink. This only succeeded in grossing Mist out even more, and ruining whatever good impression she had for The Rum Tum Tugger.  
  
"Well," she said as coldly as Alonzo when he spoke, "See ya, dude."  
  
As they were walking toward the dozing place, two eerily high voices sounded, making Mist smile again. "Hello, Alonzo. Hello, Silvermist."  
  
Alonzo jumped. "How'd you two know Mist?"  
  
Two identical black striped cats crept out of the shadows, smiling in a slightly spooky way. Coricopat and Tantomile lived in the tea salon/herb garden down the street owned by an old fortuneteller crone, a mystic and a psychic (perhaps this is where they had gotten their psychic powers). They had met Mist when they caught her stealing some mature catnip plants from the garden a few months ago, and since she decided to share it with them, they became friends.  
  
"Hello, Coricopat and Tantomile. Nice to see you two again."  
  
She knew that they were guessing she had gotten some catnip, so she confirmed their suspicion. "I got some down in the pipe."  
  
"What's in the pipe?" asked Alonzo curiously.  
  
The three smiled. "Nothing."  
  
"Misto, this is Silvermist, our new buddy. Mist, this is Quaxo, otherwise more popularly known as the Magical Mister Mistoffelees."  
  
The black and white cat bowed politely. Mist smiled back.  
  
"Hey, Misto, show her one of your tricks," suggested Alonzo.  
  
Mistoffelees nodded and produced a large cup out of thin air. The he smilingly pulled out a carton of chocolate milk from it.  
  
"Aw, damn it," he sighed. "Wasn't supposed to be chocolate."  
  
And he made the carton disappear right back into the cup.  
  
"Cool," said Mist and Alonzo. Mistoffelees bowed again.  
  
A sharp pain suddenly went up Mist's leg. She remembered the fight last night, and grimaced. Mistoffelees noticed immediately.  
  
"Anything I can do to help?" he asked her.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing," she replied. "Just a little pain, that's all."  
  
He pointed at her arm with his paw and said, "Presto!"  
  
Immediately the pain in Mist's arm was gone.  
  
"Whoa, thanks," she said. "You made the pain disappear?"  
  
Mistoffelees only smiled mischievously.  
  
"No," he said. "I transferred it to someone else."  
  
"Yow!" they heard RTT yelp from the car. "My ass hurts!"  
  
The three laughed, and Alonzo and Mist went on, and the usual procedure went on when they met shy Admetus at the very back.  
  
"Well, that's about it, except for Munku and Demi," said Alonzo briskly. "Munku's probably back from visiting Old Deutoronomy with Jerrie and Teazer, and Demi's going to show up sooner or later. And I daresay you've heard of Macavity," he added, giving her a concerned look. Something suddenly lit up in Mist's eyes, but was quickly put out. Alonzo raised his eyebrow, but they kept on walking anyway.  
  
"Ah, here we are," said Alonzo, stopping at the entrance and pointing.  
  
The two cats noticed each other immediately.  
  
"Tiger!" said Mist, surprised. "I never knew you were in this tribe!"  
  
"Same here," said Munkustrap, just as surprised.  
  
"We asked 'er if she wanted 'o come with us," chorused the twins.  
  
"Oh, so you're the new tribe member we went to ask about."  
  
Alonzo and Mist looked hopeful.  
  
"Well, yeah," said Munkustrap, shrugging. "You're in."  
  
"That's good," said Alonzo. "We just went to introduce her."  
  
"We'd hold a ceremony to celebrate your becoming a Jellicle of this tribe," said Munkustrap. "But our leader, Old Deutoronomy, is going to Jamaica with his owners and will be gone for about a month."  
  
Alonzo, Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer tried to imagine their old leader dancing in the Jamaica sand and soaking up the wonderful sun under a palm tree, wearing nothing but sunglasses and the boarding shorts those human surf monkeys at the beach always wore, and rubbing suntan lotion on his old brown and gray fur. It was a good thing Munkustrap didn't notice the gleeful smiles on their faces.  
  
"Congratulations," said Munkustrap, putting a paw on Mist's shoulder.  
  
"Congratulations," echoed Alonzo and the twins.  
  
Mist grinned happily. It was the best day of her life.  
  
She'd finally found herself a home.  
  
Chapter Ten: What Happened in the Past?  
  
"Awake and dreaming…but I'm only sleeping…"  
  
Demeter spun around apprehensively. Somehow, after what had happened with Macavity a few hours ago, every voice seemed strange and foreboding, even this one. But Demeter didn't recognize anything about this voice, only that it was sad and singing an unfamiliar song…  
  
"Who's there?" she called out softly.  
  
A silver-white queen Demeter didn't know emerged out of the shadows.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Demeter curiously.  
  
"Uh, new tribe member, you can say," said the queen uncomfortably.  
  
Demeter breathed more slowly. At least she was sure that this stranger wasn't out to jump her.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said more calmly. "I just went through a lot today."  
  
"Ah, no problem," said the queen, smiling at her. "Are you Demeter?"  
  
"Well, yeah," said Demeter. "Why?"  
  
The queen smiled again. "You're the only one Alonzo hasn't introduced to me. By the way, my name's Silvermist. Just call me 'Mist', for short."  
  
"Ok," said Demeter. Mist shrugged.  
  
"You wanna sit down and talk?" she asked. "Not much else to do."  
  
Demeter nodded and sat down on the pipe nearby. Mist carefully checked inside to see if the catnip was still hiding safely there.  
  
"Tell me about yourself," said Mist interestedly. "You seem really nice."  
  
"Well…thanks," said Demeter. "I don't really get comments like that."  
  
"Neither do I," replied Mist. "So, who wants to go first?"  
  
"You go ahead," said Demeter. "I have to think about a few things before I get deeper into that, OK?"  
  
Mist nodded, to show that she understood, and went on.  
  
"Do you remember the fire that happened a few years ago?"  
  
Demeter nodded. It gave her horrible memories too.  
  
"All I can remember is that an enemy we all feared at the time killed my mother. My brother and I were supposed to locate another Jellicle tribe nearer to where we lived to seek safety, and to avoid the eyes of a rival family in our former tribe. But we split up, my brother off to find a cat who he suspected was the mastermind of our mother's death, and I to find help or give it to those who needed it."  
  
Mist paused, letting the terrible memories sink in.  
  
"I got trapped into a fire wall. My brother tried to save me, but I as much as killed him by telling him to go straight to the tribe. Our nemesis cut him off from there and most surely murdered him. I survived the fire, and a young American boy took care of me until he lost me about me about two years or so ago." Mist showed her black leather collar, adorned with small spikes, to Demeter.  
  
"I lived on what I caught, hanging in alleys day and night, until I met Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, who had run away too, and we had started stealing together. But as soon as I found out they were to work for someone else, I went away and only met with them again a few days ago. So far, I'm happy enough just to have a tribe again."  
  
Demeter smiled warmly at Mist. Surely the two queens would become good friends in a short time.  
  
"So, how 'bout you?" asked Mist. "What's your story?"  
  
Demeter sighed. "I haven't really told anyone this before but Bombalurina, and I'm not sure if I can tell it now."  
  
"S'OK," said Mist. "Go on, I'm listening."  
  
Demeter took a deep breath and started her tale.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Mr. Asparagus, sir?" squeaked a small kitten hopefully to the older fuzzy- coated tom. Asparagus looked up from his watch duty and immediately found himself staring into the kitten's large green eyes.  
  
"Mr. Asparagus? Is my daddy back here yet?"  
  
Asparagus sighed. Was there any way to explain to this poor little kitten that her father was now dead, gone forever? Asparagus closed his eyes guiltily. As much as he had to tell her, it broke his heart to hurt her when she'd already been through so much. Nevertheless, he took a deep breath and pulled the kitten up beside him.  
  
"Demeter, there's something I really need to tell you."  
  
"What is it?" she asked. Suddenly, her heart grew weak and faint, as if she knew what was coming next. "What is it? Tell me!"  
  
Asparagus's expression turned very grave. "Demeter, I'm sorry to say-"  
  
"No," interrupted Demeter. "No, don't tell me he's-"  
  
Asparagus bowed his head. "He's gone, Demeter."  
  
"NO!" squealed the kitten in her refusal to believe. "That can't be!"  
  
There was only a few seconds' silence before she broke down in miserable tears and sobbed into Asparagus's fur, drenching him.  
  
"He was the only thing I had left," whispered the kitten. "Now I'm alone to become nothing but an ugly orphan outcast of the tribe!"  
  
Asparagus gently pushed Demeter away. "Demeter, listen to me."  
  
Her big jade-green eyes sadly focused on him.  
  
"I'm not going to let you become a wretch growing like weeds outside of the junkyard, you hear me? You're one of us, and you'll always be one of us, no matter what." He only stared fiercely at her for a few moments, but then his expression softened considerably as little Demeter burst into frightened tears all over again.  
  
"There, there," he said comfortingly. "You're not ugly at all, are you? You'll soon grow up to be a beautiful young queen, like your mother once was." He paused sadly. "I should know. I loved her once."  
  
For a few minutes, no sound was heard except that of Demeter sobbing quietly into Asparagus's fur, until a youthful voice sounded behind them.  
  
"Mr. Asparagus, sir? Bombalurina and Jellylorum wish to meet you at the junkyard's entrance. Someone came in here a while ago looking really bloody and roughed-up."  
  
"Thank you, Munkustrap," said Asparagus. To Demeter, he said, "I'll be back as soon as I settle the affairs, alright?"  
  
Demeter nodded and Asparagus went his way to the entrance. She could only keep on crying until she sensed that Munkustrap was still behind her. She hissed in hostility.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Munkustrap concernedly.  
  
"None of your business, you nosy bastard," she spat back.  
  
"Demeter, I was only trying to help," said Munkustrap, and she knew by his expression and his voice that he was very hurt. He slowly turned around to walk away, but she suddenly blurted out, "W-w-wait!"  
  
"What, you gonna call me a nosy bastard again?"  
  
"No," she sobbed. "M-m-munkustrap, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it."  
  
He turned around again, and his expression softened. He came up to her and sat down next to her. Under the tears, however, she could tell that he was having a hard time too, and his voice sounded as sad as hers.  
  
"I-I didn't mean to call you a nosy bastard." She shook with tears.  
  
"That's OK," said Munkustrap gently. "I understand."  
  
For a few good minutes the two sat there, Munkustrap looking sober and Demeter still crying, but suddenly she flung herself into Munkustrap's arms and kept on crying there. Munkustrap didn't mind; he just held her like he didn't want to let go.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"Where is he?" asked Asparagus seriously. "Where's the cat?"  
  
"He's over here, Asparagus," said Jellylorum.  
  
"And he looks quite roughed up, sir," added a young Bombalurina.  
  
They pointed to the open trunk of a newly-crashed orange Camaro lined with pillows and old sheets. A black and brown kitten with spots and something of a growing mane around his neck lay on the sort-of bed, eyes half-closed in pain. Asparagus noticed that the kitten's right knee was ruined; the skin was ripped off and the knee was bleeding profusely. Besides that, the young kitten was wet, cold, and besides the knee, there were other cuts and bruises all over his body, and a painful-looking claw mark on his face.  
  
"All right there, sonny?" he asked concernedly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm OK," said the kitten. "My knee just really hurts."  
  
"Oh, wait, I got something that can fix that, even for a little while," said Bombalurina quickly. The three watched as she untied a yellow leopard- spot scarf she had found somewhere in the junkyard and washed. It even looked really nice. As she carefully tied it over the white cloth around his knee, he gave her a really great smile, a smile she would eventually fall in love with, and she happily returned it.  
  
"Thanks," he said. "It looks really cool, doesn't it?"  
  
"Now that you mention it, yeah, it does," replied Bombalurina.  
  
"Aaahh, that's good," said Asparagus.  
  
"We'll leave you with him, OK?" said Jellylorum to Bombalurina. "We're going to Old Deuteronomy to see if the young scoundrel can be accepted into the tribe at so suddenly a time."  
  
The two nodded and the adults strolled away. Bombalurina continued to carefully clean his wounds, and she could tell he felt a bit awkward, and she was betting he'd never had himself cleaned by someone his own age, but he said nothing. After she was content with her work, she decided to start a conversation with him.  
  
"What's your name, anyway?" asked Bombalurina, sitting beside him.  
  
"I'm sorry," said the kitten. "But to tell you the truth, I don't remember my name after how I got boxed up there a while ago."  
  
"Easy," said Bombalurina. "Why don't we make you a new one?"  
  
"A new name?" said the kitten, surprised. "Well, alright."  
  
"Oh, and I forgot to tell you, my name's Bombalurina."  
  
"Bombalurina? That's a very nice name," said the kitten.  
  
"Well…thanks," said Bombalurina, blushing even redder than she already was. "I don't get comments for my name that often."  
  
"It sort of suits you," continued the kitten. "It's quite a fitting name for someone who'll be the bomb queen when she grows up."  
  
He gave her a wink of candy-bar sweetness that just melted her.  
  
"Are you seriously flirting with me?" she said, laughing.  
  
"Maybe, maybe not," said the kitten mischievously.  
  
"Then in that case, we'll think up a good name for a big flirt like you," said Bombalurina, grinning and plainly enjoying this little game.  
  
"Big flirt like me? I doubt," said the kitten innocently.  
  
"Oh, come on, you're tugging my tail," Bombalurina giggled.  
  
"Am not," squeaked the kitten, sounding cute and sugar-sweet.  
  
"Oh, are too," said Bombalurina, lightly pushing his shoulder.  
  
The kittens just collapsed with laughter at the funny side of it, and kept that way until the male kitten started to hurt a bit.  
  
"Hey, I know!" said Bombalurina excitedly, her beautiful brown eyes lighting up with excitement. "Tail-tugger…tum-tugger…"  
  
She squealed and jumped for joy, the kitten watching amusedly.  
  
"I have the perfect name for you!" she laughed.  
  
"What is it?" asked the kitten curiously.  
  
"From this day on," said Bombalurina, wrapping her arms around his shoulders very gently for fear of hurting him again and still giggling like mad, "I hereby declare you—The Rum Tum Tugger!"  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
It had been the most horrible two days of little Demeter's life. For those empty two days, she did nothing but hide away in an old pipe, and ate and slept only because she had to. Had she already lost everything she had? She knew so. There was nothing she could do anymore. Who would listen to the bullshit one little orphaned kitten had to give?  
  
But suddenly, she felt someone silently lurking in the shadows. She apprehensively fished around for the cat's scent. Her fur sprouted up in all directions in fear and suspicion. The scent was that of a stranger.  
  
"Who's there?" she squeaked very softly. "What do you want?"  
  
There was only eerie silence as a reply.  
  
"Show yourself," she said louder and a little more bravely.  
  
More silence. But Demeter knew someone was hiding there, watching her. Sure enough, out of the shadows came a very young but handsome ginger tom. He looked sad, and she pitied him in a small sense, but that didn't stop her from being hostile to the stranger.  
  
"What do you want?" she repeated.  
  
"Please," said the tom pleadingly. "You have to come with me."  
  
"Why?" asked Demeter. "I don't even know you!"  
  
"Please," the tom repeated. "If you don't come with me, we'll both be killed! I promise, I'll bring you back here soon…"  
  
"Why?" Demeter practically shouted, growing very frightened. "Where are you taking me? What are you going to do with me?"  
  
The tom sighed, and he looked into Demeter's scared green eyes. The sad expression never left his black ones.  
  
"Look, I'm really sorry, OK? But I have to do this."  
  
Demeter opened her mouth to say, "What do you have to do?" but before the words came out, the tom had already lifted her over his shoulders and was carrying her off somewhere. As soon as she realized this, she tried to scream and beat his back, but he succeeded in clapping a paw over her mouth. She tried to claw his face, and this time she succeeded, leaving a few bloody marks. Agitated, he gave her a firm hit to the head, and all went black.  
  
When Demeter came to her senses, she found herself in a dark part of an old abandoned warehouse, and as her blurred vision became clearer, the ginger tom she had met before was leaning over her, waving a paw in front of her face. As soon as she recognized him, she gave a muffled scream, startling him, but calmed down when she saw that he looked tense and as afraid as she was.  
  
"Uh…hi," he said, coming a little closer. Demeter quickly backed away.  
  
"Look, I really don't mean to hurt you," he said desperately.  
  
"Then why'd you hit me?" asked Demeter fiercely.  
  
"I'm really sorry for that," said the tom. "But I had to. Listen, if you know the way back to your tribe, get up right now and go-(  
  
But as he took her hand to help her up, a door suddenly opened at the back of the warehouse. A scrawny, dirty-looking tortoiseshell tom walked in, and his beady eyes focused on the two of them.  
  
"Ah, good work, Mac," he said sleazily at the tom. "So you found someone. Calm her down first before you do the job, like give her something to eat or something. I'll come back to you later."  
  
And the tortoiseshell tom sneaked back outside, but they could tell he was watching from a broken window outside.  
  
The two were alone now, and didn't do anything for quite a few minutes. Then the tom plucked up the courage to talk to Demeter.  
  
"Y-you want something to eat?" he stuttered.  
  
Demeter figured that she didn't really have a choice. "Uh, yeah. Sure."  
  
He stood up and walked to the back of the warehouse. A couple of minutes later, he was back with an opened can of Spanish sardines and a bowl of milk. Demeter didn't have much else to do, and besides, she was suddenly hungry anyway, so she ate up the sardines and finished up the milk while he silently watched her. As soon as she was finished, he carried off the empty can and bowl while Demeter daintily cleaned her paws. Then he sat down again, and more minutes of silence.  
  
"Er…" he mumbled awkwardly. "Uh…what's your name, anyway?"  
  
"Demeter," she said very softly, avoiding his gaze.  
  
"Uh…mine's Macavity," he said. "Er…you can call me Mac."  
  
"OK," Demeter whispered.  
  
"Uh…do you have any siblings back at where you live?"  
  
"A sister," she replied, still refusing to look at him.  
  
"I had a brother," said Macavity. "I don't know where he is."  
  
More uncomfortable silence. Macavity broke it again.  
  
"Remember the terrible fire London had a few days ago?"  
  
Demeter nodded. Now the hurt feeling was sinking back in.  
  
"Did you lose anyone back there?"  
  
He got a very harsh nod as a reply.  
  
"I know the feeling."  
  
Demeter looked up. Tears were falling onto her face now.  
  
"I lost my brother back there. We've got something in common."  
  
She looked up at him. His handsome face, although scarred with the scratch she had done him a while ago, looked even better with a friendly grin. She smiled back, and she put her paw on his very briefly.  
  
Suddenly the door flew open again, and in came the sleazy tortoiseshell, but this time, a huge black dog followed him into the warehouse. The dog stared stonily at Macavity and Demeter, and Demeter's paw immediately flew off Macavity's. The dog smiled amusedly.  
  
"Hey, Mac, you ought to do it now, you know."  
  
He looked pleadingly at the tortoiseshell tom and the dog.  
  
"Look, I don't want to do this to her! She's just a kitten!"  
  
"You have to do it, Mac," said the tortoiseshell tom.  
  
"If you want both you and the kitten to live," added the dog.  
  
Macavity looked horribly pained. Demeter now got what was going to happen to her, and she let out an ear-shattering scream.  
  
She shut her eyes tightly as Macavity pinned her to the floor, but opened them again. She knew that Macavity as just as scared as she was, from the look in his eyes. But he shut them too.  
  
"Demeter, whatever happens, I just want to tell you that I'm really sorry and I always will be for all that I'm going to do to you right now."  
  
Demeter screamed again, but all she could remember after that was the worst pain she'd ever felt in her life and suddenly losing consciousness.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"-And that's how it went," said Demeter, burying her face in her paws.  
  
Silvermist looked horrified and pained at the same time, but quickly changed her expression to pity when Demeter looked back at her.  
  
"That's terrible," said Mist, astonished. "Why haven't you told Munkustrap? Sounds to me like that's a tom who really cares for you."  
  
"No," said Demeter. "He's much more than that. I don't deserve him after the way I've been treating him over the past few years."  
  
"And I don't deserve the tribe, you know," said Mist.  
  
"I heard you singing a song before we were talking," said Demeter suddenly. "It's not something I've ever heard before…"  
  
"Oh, that," said Mist. "Something I picked up from my old master."  
  
"Could you sing it again?" asked Demeter shyly.  
  
"Sure," said Mist, grinning and beginning to sing.  
  
Somehow that certain song reminded her of the nightmares she had, forcing her to look back at her past.  
  
Chapter Eleven: Our Powers Can Only Reveal the Unknown  
  
"So, Sugarmist, how about that night out?" asked RTT, in a would-be seductive voice to the silver-white queen who was passing him by.  
  
"In your dreams, dumbhole," spat Silvermist none too softly.  
  
"Oh ho ho, trying to play the tough girl, huh?" he teased.  
  
Mist turned around, and threw a look of pure annoyance at him.  
  
"Yo, look. I'm sorry, dude, but it's really not my style to go out with toms I barely even know, or toms who call me 'Sugarmist' just to flirt."  
  
"Ooohh, ouch, baby," said RTT, pretending to look hurt.  
  
"That hit the spot, didn't it?" said Mist sarcastically.  
  
"Oh, yeah," said RTT. "Hey, don't give me the cold shoulder now!"  
  
"C'mon, I really hate going out with toms. I don't feel comfortable."  
  
"Hey, if you're with Tugster, you'll forget all the tom rats you ever went out with. All I'm asking for is a good time."  
  
"You don't give up all that easily, do you?" asked Mist exasperatedly.  
  
"Hell no," replied RTT with a grin. Mist rolled her eyes.  
  
"Oh, all right, you win," she said. "Just because you're so persistent."  
  
"So, where do you want to go?" he asked happily.  
  
"Big Joe's Diner. They know me there. I'll treat you to some tuna macaroni salad so you can shut your yap for the night."  
  
"It's a deal," he said, and Mist held out her paw to shake his, but instead of a shake, she got a kiss on her paw. RTT looked up and smiled like the 17th century flirt he was. Mist rolled her eyes again.  
  
"Tugger, just…no funny stuff, OK?" she told him firmly.  
  
"No funny stuff," he promised her. Mist sighed, and RTT walked away, very satisfied with himself with getting a date for the night.  
  
Suddenly Mist blurted something out. "Hey! Tugger! Wait a sec!"  
  
"Yeah, honey?" said RTT absently, turning around.  
  
Mist was staring him straight in the face with some kind of strange calculating look on hers. RTT stared back, trying to figure out why she was looking at him that way, but then he suddenly got the exact same feeling, although they both didn't know it.  
  
They'd seen each other's faces somewhere before.  
  
"What?" said RTT confusedly. Mist dropped the stare.  
  
"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "I can't help thinking, I mean, I've only just met you a couple of hours ago-but you look, well-kind of…familiar."  
  
RTT's jaw almost dropped open, but he kept it shut.  
  
"That's really weird," he said. "I was thinking the exact same thing."  
  
They stared at each other again in amazement.  
  
"Well, um…" muttered Mist awkwardly. "Tonight, OK? We can talk."  
  
"Sure," said RTT. "Thanks for your time."  
  
"And, uh, yo…I'm sorry for being so rude and all…"  
  
"That's OK. Remember…tonight. The tuna macaroni salad."  
  
"Why so glum, Tugger? Didn't manage to get a date from her?"  
  
"That's just the thing," said RTT. "We had a really weird talk. I managed to ask her out, and she agreed after some time, but when we're about to walk away, she told me to stop. When I did, she was giving me this strange look, like she was trying to figure me out or something. So I stared back, and she said I looked familiar. What's really weird about it, I got the same feeling. She did look kind of familiar. And then she acted like she didn't mind going out with me."  
  
"I agree, that's really weird," said Mistoffelees. "And you say that you only met her a few hours ago? What if it was before that?"  
  
"So, you mean to say that she might be some kind of memory queen?"  
  
"Exactly," said Mistoffelees. "I heard from Bombalurina and Munkustrap that you had no idea who you were when you first walked in here."  
  
"That's true, actually," replied RTT. "Bombalurina gave me my name."  
  
"Do you remember having a master or a different tribe?" asked Mistoffelees interestedly. RTT thought hard.  
  
"Maybe a master," he said finally. "I had a first name, I know."  
  
"What was it?" asked Mistoffelees.  
  
"I don't remember," said RTT, frustrated.  
  
"Look, are you really determined to get all the answers you want?"  
  
RTT thought again, then nodded.  
  
"I can't give you all your answers, but we can ask Coricopat and Tantomile what they think. Who knows, maybe we can probe in deeper."  
  
A few minutes later, Mistoffelees came back to RTT with the two psychic twins following him, and the four sat down on a scrap heap.  
  
"You have sought our assistance," said Coricopat.  
  
"What may we do to help you?" Tantomile continued.  
  
"Will you be able to look back into the past?" asked RTT.  
  
The two closed their eyes in deep thought, then opened them.  
  
"We cannot do exactly what you ask," said Coricopat.  
  
"Our powers can only reveal the unknown," said Tantomile.  
  
"What can you feel is unknown to us about Tugger?" asked Mistoffelees.  
  
The twins closed their eyes again for a time.  
  
"We cannot go so deep into that," said Coricopat.  
  
"Without his known roots, it is difficult," said Tantomile.  
  
"C'mon, Tugger, don't you know anything else about your past?"  
  
Now it was RTT who closed his eyes and tried to remember.  
  
"The feud is practically the only thing I know about that opens up, but I think I had a sister," said RTT. "No doubt she's dead by now, though."  
  
"Ah, that is something we can look into," said the twins together.  
  
They fathomed through the limits of their minds for the answer. RTT and Mistoffelees watched them in anticipation.  
  
"You are wrong," said Coricopat.  
  
"Your sister is not dead," said Tantomile.  
  
"She is alive," they said together.  
  
"What?!" said RTT, shocked. "So I actually do still have a living relative in this world who can tell me about my past?!"  
  
"Apparently, yes," said the twins.  
  
"Do you know where she is?" asked Mistoffelees excitedly.  
  
For the fourth time, the twins closed their eyes, but opened them again shortly, with looks of deep disappointment on their identical faces.  
  
"We are very sorry, but we cannot tell you exactly where she is," said Coricopat. RTT and Mistoffelees looked deeply disappointed, too.  
  
"But we can promise you something," said Tantomile. "She is very near."  
  
Mistoffelees looked to RTT and gave him a satisfied sort of grin.  
  
"Well, that's it, isn't it?" said Mistoffelees.  
  
"We will try and look for her," said the twins.  
  
"W-well, thanks for all your help," said RTT, standing up.  
  
"Our pleasure," said the three of them.  
  
RTT scooped himself off the junk heap and started to walk to the toms' dozing place. He felt like having a nap before his date anyway…  
  
Wait a minute. Silvermist. Could she actually be…?  
  
No, he reminded himself. No, it's not her. That was just impossible.  
  
But was it? Hadn't he dreamed of fire and bloodshed, a queen and a Pollicle dog, and two young kittens trying to make it out on their own, but failing, and never to see each other again?  
  
Hadn't he?  
  
No, he told himself, shaking his head. Silvermist can't be some kind of long-lost sister. That's absurd. She's just a queen who's hooking us up with some free tuna macaroni salad on a one-night stand.  
  
Or was she?  
  
Chapter Twelve: Why Do You Hate Me?  
  
"Should I ask her or not?"  
  
Munkustrap swept across the junkyard floor, debating aloud with himself. Watching his train of thought run back from station to station and sitting on an old milk crate was Alonzo, smiling amusedly at his best friend, along with Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, observing the noble Jellicle leader while lazing around on the old orange car.  
  
"C'mon, Munk, what's got you so worried?" asked Alonzo.  
  
"Go for it, Tiger!" said the cockney twins, imitating Silvermist.  
  
"You know she loves you very much," continued Alonzo.  
  
"Wha' you got 'o lose, Munku?" said Mungojerrie.  
  
"Ask her while we're still alive, so we can watch," added Rumpelteazer.  
  
Munkustrap stopped pacing around for a moment.  
  
"I dunno," he told them. "Something like fear's trying to hold me back. Like fear that I'll fall in love with another. Or worse, what if she'll be the one to fall for someone else?"  
  
"Impossible," said all three of them incredulously.  
  
"She'll never forget everything you've done for her," said Alonzo.  
  
"Or everything she's done for you," added the twins.  
  
Munkustrap shrugged. "I'm still nervous. What if she says no?"  
  
"Then we all die on the spot," said Alonzo.  
  
"S'if tha' woul' ever 'appen, though," said Mungojerrie.  
  
"Besides, who else coul' she fall in love with?" asked Rumpelteazer.  
  
Munkustrap stood there silently for a moment. A horrible picture painted itself in his mind, one of Demeter and-  
  
"You're right," he said finally. "I'm going to ask her."  
  
"All right, Tiger!" the three screeched.  
  
"Why are you three quoting Mist all of a sudden?" asked Munkustrap.  
  
Alonzo snickered. "Just be sure to come back to us with her answer."  
  
Munkustrap nodded and walked away, but he was totally unaware of the scene that awaited him where Demeter was.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Demeter sighed. The sun was setting, shooting the horizon with delicate shades of pink and gold, and soon would be replaced by a midnight-blue sky, ever-shining stars and the marvelous silver-white moon.  
  
Lately, she had been thinking a lot about Munkustrap. She cringed with shame every time she remembered where she gave up an opportunity to confess her love to him or treated him the wrong way. And yet, sweet, kind, caring Munkustrap always seemed to forgive all her faults and love her for her better side no matter what. She didn't deserve someone like him. But inside, she always kept hoping that maybe one lucky day, he'd pop the final question, and she'd say yes, yes with all her heart-  
  
"Demeter?"  
  
She turned around, and her thoughts vanished. Like the many times she had seen him in her dreams or her tormenting memories, out of the darkness and into the light came the recognizable tom she had seen earlier today and was shocked at how much he had changed.  
  
"M-macavity?" she whispered to the handsome ginger tom behind her.  
  
"Demeter…" He tried to come closer, but she quickly moved away. She then saw the hurt, sad look that she had noticed earlier in the day.  
  
"Demeter, please…just this once, don't run away from me!"  
  
She turned back, but flatly refused to meet his gaze.  
  
"I really need to talk to you!" he said softly.  
  
Demeter looked back at him with a defiant glare.  
  
"Why? Why should I listen to you?" she challenged him.  
  
There was only silence as their background, but like before, it was Macavity who broke it. "I know why. It's because you hate me."  
  
Demeter looked away from him again. "Yes. Yes, I hate you."  
  
"It's my turn to ask 'why' now," said Macavity. He didn't shout; his voice was soft and broken. "Now, tell me, Demeter-why do you hate me?"  
  
Again, there was only silence. Demeter thought of many reasons why she hated Macavity, but none of them really made sense.  
  
"Why?" he repeated. "Why do you hate me?"  
  
"Because…" muttered Demeter. "Because you robbed me of my purity!"  
  
"Don't you even remember what happened in the past?" said Macavity.  
  
Demeter remembered, all right. But it was only when he pierced her heart with this remark that she could hear a young Macavity of long ago looking tense and afraid, and whispering in her ear:  
  
"Demeter, whatever happens, I just want to tell you that I'm really sorry and I always will be for all that I'm going to do to you right now."  
  
She shut her ears, refusing to hear that tiny voice inside her head.  
  
"I know you remember what I told you," said Macavity.  
  
"Yes," said Demeter, feeling tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"I still mean it," he said quietly. "So why do you hate me?"  
  
Demeter felt the hot tears sting her eyes.  
  
"I don't know," she said. "I don't know whether to blame you for the past, the present, or not to blame you at all. I just don't know!"  
  
Macavity watched her cry silently, not saying a word. Then, without warning, he suddenly put his paw on hers and smiled at her.  
  
"Do you remember when you did this to me?" he asked her gently.  
  
Demeter couldn't say anything, but finally choked out, "Yes."  
  
"I will be forever grateful for it," he said.  
  
Demeter didn't say anything, but kept on crying. To her surprise, Macavity wiped away her tears and pulled her closer to him. The same thing Munkustrap would have done at a moment like this.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered to him.  
  
"Do you still hate me now?" he asked her.  
  
Demeter thought for a long moment, but finally answered, "No."  
  
He then let go of her, and gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek.  
  
"That's what I wanted to hear from you," he said. He then stood up, preparing to walk back into the shadows.  
  
"I have to go now," he said. "But remember all we talked about."  
  
Demeter nodded, and watched the handsome ginger tom leave, the thoughts lingering in her mind, and she stood up and left.  
  
Little did she know that she had been watched.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Munkustrap turned his head back to his hiding place. He was feeling terribly confused—and hurt. Were his suspicions actually confirmed? Just when he came to pop "Will you be my mate?" at his dream girl, who should come out of the shadows to act like he knew her from a long-ago love but his worst enemy. His guts did a triple pirouette.  
  
"Don't think you're the only confused one, Tiger."  
  
He turned around sharply, to see that Mungojerrie, Rumpelteazer, Alonzo and Silvermist were beside him, all looking flabbergasted.  
  
"What are all you guys doing here?" he demanded.  
  
Alonzo shrugged. "We followed you. Might as well make it a party."  
  
Munkustrap sank to the floor, his back not leaving the knocked-down concrete wall he had hid behind. "What am I going to do…?"  
  
"You know, act like it never 'appened," suggested Mungojerrie.  
  
"Wha' if it isn' wha' we think it is?" added Rumpelteazer.  
  
"Just because Macavity came to see her once doesn't necessarily mean he'll come back for the whole kaboodle," agreed Mist.  
  
Munkustrap sighed. "OK. This never happened."  
  
"Got it," chorused the four of them together.  
  
"But am I still going to pop the question?"  
  
The five thought about this for a moment.  
  
"I think you ought to give it a little time, that's all," said Alonzo. "Maybe up to next quarter-moon or so."  
  
"That's in two weeks," Munkustrap mumbled.  
  
"Maybe she'll forget abou' him by then," said the twins.  
  
The five cats stood there in silence for a moment.  
  
"Well, if that's it, I gotta go," said Mist.  
  
"Where you going?" asked the twins.  
  
"I promised Tugger a night out and some free tuna macaroni and milk."  
  
"Might as well," agreed Alonzo. "See you later, Munk."  
  
Munkustrap nodded, but stayed still where he sat.  
  
How could they be so sure? 


End file.
